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Sunbeam
Sunbeam - former designation number, EC-298877654J and before his conversion into a Combine soldier, Olaf Solstråle - was a Combine Elite officer instructed to carry out an investigation into the Free Children's Commune by Wallace Breen. He was killed by Barney Calhoun. Character History Book Two: The Free Children's Commune Barney is startled to see a Combine Elite at the Free Children's commune, but Eli Vance quickly reassures him that Sunbeam is just another tired soul seeking refuge. Sunbeam asks Barney if Barney knows what he's doing there - seemingly, this is about the only thing he ever says. Eli fills in Sunbeam's backstory, detailing how he was a champion with the Combine stunstick and very adept at knocking people's heads from their shoulders. One day, he knocked off so many heads he contracted tennis elbow and was refused time off work by Wallace Breen to allow it to heal. A broken man, he packed his bags and joined the commune. Later, it becomes clear that Sunbeam was at the Commune under Breen's orders and the stunstick champion story that Sunbeam told Eli when he joined is probably apocryphal. Sunbeam is seldom seen without a joint stuck into his respirator grille, and Alyx Vance at least suspects if he were to stop taking drugs for 30 consecutive minutes he might remember why he was there. Eventually, the morning after a drinking contest, Eli persuades Kleiner to come with him to his laboratory, and Sunbeam overhears Kleiner's real name for the first time - hitherto, Eli has only ever referred to him as 'Doctor Eaglepeace'. This, in combination with a rare bout of sleep jogs Sunbeam's memory to the point that he realises what he was supposed to be doing and immediately flees the Commune, leaving the front blast doors open and allowing the banished Barney Calhoun back inside again. Sunbeam interrupts Breen's monthly Vortigaunt shoot to present his report. Breen, less than impressed by the results is quite ready to kill Sunbeam with an Axe (egged on, uncharacteristically, by Judith Mossman) but just in time Sunbeam remarks that Kleiner, Calhoun and Lamarr are hiding in the commune. Delighted, Breen immediately spares Sunbeam's life, promotes him and orders him to gather together a task force to assault the commune. Now Breen's right-hand man, Sunbeam is instrumental in organising the force that allows Breen to murder the remains of the free children and attempt to breach the commune itself. Just before the main force pushes forward, the Combine force is distracted by Kleiner's Flying Machine and the HHH-bomb slung underneath it. In the momentary confusion, Barney Calhoun takes the opportunity to load Kleiner, Lamarr, Alyx, Gordon Freeman and Dog onto a small lorry and drive straight through the Combine, narrowly missing Breen himself and killing Sunbeam instantly. Trivia *For an unknown reason during the making of Sunbeam's final episode, his slightly altered texture which featured his name-tag mysteriously vanished. This was covered by posing Sunbeam as if he was peeling his name-tag off and throwing it away, which wasn't entirely implausible as he was about to attack the Free Children's Commune.